15 copy clichés and other crap

25 January 2008

Here are 15 examples of the kind of copy clichés you’ll find around – maybe on your desk at some point. The problem is that all could be used for almost any business promotion – and often are.

Please don’t use these phrases to promote your publication!

Any special or unique quality your product possesses is destroyed by using descriptions of this kind. And you wouldn’t want to do that.

These phrases are so overused and tired they have come to mean almost nothing. They demonstrate no understanding of a publication’s unique selling proposition (USP).

These copy clichés are all extracted from bad promotions coming out of business magazine publishers such as Haymarket and Centaur:

  1. We offer practical insight into the growing, changing and challenging business of _____________
  2. An overview of the whole market
  3. We aim to bring you the best advice for you to perform your role better
  4. Content is hands on, from a variety of industry experts, with plenty of top tips, do’s and don’ts
  5. Detailed analysis and incisive commentary. Exclusive news, strategic insights and vital statistics to help companies maximise their benefits
  6. All the breaking news, in-depth features, informed comments, essential data and authoritative special reports on the latest developments and, of course, the latest industry gossip
  7. Substance and added value to guide you through the maze of what’s on offer today
  8. Straightforward advice, case studies and step-by-step guides
  9. Covers everything you need to know
  10. An essential read for anyone serious about his or her industry
  11. Every issue is written to help you manage your business, your staff and your career more effectively
  12. You’ll find information to keep you up-to-date with the latest thinking, with in-depth features that identify the most significant issues for your company
  13. Regular sections that impart valuable skills
  14. Saves time and money
  15. Keeps you in touch with events as they happen

This article is extracted from Subscriptions Strategy the newsletter for publishers and marketers.

© 2008
www.subscriptionsStrategy.co.uk

To help illustrate how meaningless bad copy is, here are descriptions of three magazines. I have taken out the references to the industries they cover. You have to guess which is Marketing Direct, which is Marketing and which is Promotions & Incentives (I may have got the covers mixed up):

______ is an absolute must-read for anyone working in ______. Subscribe now and receive:

_______ is the monthly guide to _____, containing essential advice and news for the serious ______professional. Subscribe now and receive:

Widely acclaimed for its accuracy and breadth of coverage,
_______ provides the very latest news on product launches,
shifts in major brands strategies, key appointments and departures from all industry sectors plus account moves and ____ developments.

Our reporting team alongside leading industry commentators provide in-depth analysis and expert comment on key UK industry issues together with special focuses on the pan-European _____ developments. Unique surveys and technique-led reports from ____ through to _____ are regularly featured in the magazine.

Why pick on marketing magazines?
You may wonder why I have picked on the marketing sector. Well, together they reveal a sad truth: publishers are generally poor marketers.

Also, as a nation famous for our love of irony, I could not chose a more ironic illustration than to show how poorly these three marketing magazines market themselves.

So what kind of copywriting is that?
The examples above all fall within ‘level 1’ copywriting (there are 3 levels). Level 1 brings in poor response. Level 3 brings maximum response. Here’s some more about the three levels of copywriting:

Copywriting – the 3 levels

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